Why you should embrace your stutter | Juan V. Lopez | TEDxUniversityofNevada

Juan V. Lopez is an MBA student at The University of Nevada. In this inspiring talk, Juan explains why he now embraces his stutter as an integral part of his unique self.
Juan V López is a MBA Candidate at the University of Nevada, first-generation college student, fitness fanatic, entrepreneur & listen-first guy.
Juan holds Bachelors degrees in Journalism and Spanish from the University of Nevada, Reno. When he is not studying in class, or making new money for his clients through online marketing, Juan is likely doing one of three things: 1) Working out/Meal prepping for tomorrow, 2) Reading a daily devotional, or 3) Serving his wonderful fraternity.
Juan is incredibly devoted to motivating others to develop, blossom and surpass any limits they’ve set on themselves. As a person who stutters, he is passionate about inspiring people to change their perspective on obstacles they face and overcome them. Through God’s guidance, Juan believes his purpose in life is to help others identify their own.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@DevilBesideYouu]

The worst thing is when you struggle to say something for ages and you finally manage to get it out and then they say pardon.

[@harveylion1430]

haha I can totally relate

[@abdullahalamri3612]

+Harvey Lion the most relatable comment I've ever read!!!

[@JuanVLopez]

Ha, this made me chuckle. So true! :)

[@pgehamzah2nd114]

The real problem is when you meet someone who also stammers, they introduce themselves while stuttering, and after you introduce yourself (also while stuttering) they will think you were mimicking them.

[@kekewat07]

yess, this happens to me lol

[@strawnluke]

As someone who has a moderate stutter. This guy has some serious balls for standing up and talking to a room full of people while being broadcasted. Much respect Juan! You're an inspiration.

[@TheXitone]

serious balls? wtf haha

[@unitedkamp270]

Fungus, yes, BALLS, bigger than some people's imagination!!

[@hoangduong4036]

My stuttering is not severe like him but I can feel his pain.

[@soup5284]

@@TheXitone yeh only people who have a stutter will truly understand

[@exerciseisantidote9337]

I'll never do that

[@tamaldas9216]

We stuterrers should have a different planet where we all can happily stutter and live happily ever after😊😊

[@ShashwatSharma11]

LMAO TRUE

[@ramonawilliams5082]

FACTS

[@becks5295]

Yess big facts

[@vlee2004]

I thought about a different planet for Trump supporters just yesterday. Funny🤣

[@muthoninjoroge2737]

Oooh yess! Free world no more embrassment😁

[@Prospect.033]

Only us stutters understad what our brother is going through💔

[@msmarium42]

U r right bro 😭

[@surajmandal180]

Right bro

[@jeromedoe1884]

This is true! I even laugh at myself sometimes.

[@reedsmall2601]

Hearing someone else stutter is probably the worse sound it makes me cringe hard because I know that’s kind of how I sound trying to speak

[@ne9835]

Right here. 😔

[@SVSXXVW]

This guy has titanium balls, that's all I have to say as a stutterer. Very inspiring.

[@Samuel-qg2bh]

I agree, makes me feel so much better to see someone else who stutters breaks enough to talk about it

[@isaacg.1185]

I used to have a problem with stuttering, and I felt hopeless. But I want to leave this message to all of the other who are in the same situation as I was. I think stutter comes from fear. My problem was from fear and a lack of confidence and bad breathing, I want to put emphasis on the bad breathing part. Turns out, speaking is not an easy task, it takes a lot of concentration and believing in yourself. Now I bet, if you repeated a sentence that you've said before and stuttered with in a loud voice, with a lot of power and umph! You can say it with no problem. Shout it out! Now go out and speak to people in your day-to-day life. Give more power when you speak. And if you stutter again, don't take it as a big deal. Just take note that you stuttered in your mind, then move on with your life, don't overthink it. If you let fear in your life, and if you keep saying negative things to yourself, then what the heck is life? What's there to live for? Take some risks! Be smart of course.. don't risk your health, take safe risks. And don't label yourself. Don't say "Oh, I'm not a good speaker" "Oh, I have anxiety issues" "Oh, I have confidence issues" out loud to the people around you and affect your personal life. You are what you think of yourself. If you say to yourself that you are a loser who has anxiety, then how do you think you're going to act like?... A loser with anxiety. Take deep breaths, remove that tension, concentrate, and speak. If you stutter, think about why you did, learn from it, then move on. Don't overthink. This is a message from someone who used to have stuttering problems

[@Electus-A-Deo]

Isaac G. Beautiful message! God Bless You

[@niklaslins99]

Thank you for your message :-)

[@hellnbeneathcorreia4700]

Couldnt agree more! I had breathing classes and singing classes at the end. But first to help me get confidence my parents put me thru summer camps. Wich really helped because i had to fend for myself. I think learning new languages helps. I started stuttering when i was around 6, and stoped completly when i was around 18. Ps. Maybe a bit when im too drunk ;)

[@mohammadjumail7566]

Isaac G. Good!

[@sowcar2000]

thank u

[@sahilsiddiqui2912]

This guy just faced the greatest fear of a stutterer! I can't even speak in front of a group without stuttering and running out of breath. proud of him!

[@vermelho7801]

I may be able to talk in front of a crowd sometimes.. But there's just simply no difference even after a lot of time presenting n stuff😂😅😓

[@exerciseisantidote9337]

Same me

[@Wheeliumb]

I'm so happy I finally got the courage to search stuttering. Sometimes I'm even too embarrassed to search it. I'm grateful for this video.

[@MultiXDDX]

+Willaxer me too buddy me too

[@carlgodfrey4482]

me too

[@JuanVLopez]

Keep being courageous & taking on the challenge to accept yourself every day! I've published more motivational videos posted on my Facebook page in case you're interested: facebook.com/JuanVLopez1/videos_by. Best of luck to you!

[@mridulmukherjee4245]

Juan V Lopez thank you...This inspired me a lot

[@MultiXDDX]

Same here

[@HeLL1Striker]

What many people don't know about stutterers is that we developed many tricks to hide it and tried so hard with several methods in order to keep our speech flow uninterrupted. You don't have any idea about the amount of work and effort to just construct a full sentence without stammering. I respect everyone who embraced their stutter and it's a real shame that some folks laugh when they see someone who does.

[@trenocio8541]

Exactly. We think before speaking many different ways to say one thing in order to avoid stammering.

[@kuro.editzzz]

so true man

[@SF004]

Spot on. Some people who stutter can think if multiple ways of saying something so basic but it's needed. I have like a library of alternative words and leading words, sentences in my head. Exhausting at times? Yes.

[@xiaomei3137]

if this guy can go on ted talk that means I can do my presentation in class

[@marcolagovini971]

How did the presentation go?

[@Big.Lu44]

This one hit deep

[@yiruma4196]

True story. In 2003, I was a junior in college. I had to give a presentation in one of my classes. When it came time for my turn, I went up to the front of the class to prepare. I kept thinking to myself, “Be calm and just breath.” My first couple of sentences were somewhat fluent. Then I started blocking. Then… For some reason I still can’t explain, I managed to say one word. I said, “Wait!” I stopped my presentation. This wave of confidence just came over me, and in front of the entire class, I told them about my stutter. And I was almost 100% fluent! Everyone, including my teacher was focused on me as I was telling them about my stutter. And I was not ashamed or embarrassed. That was one of my prouder moments as a stutterer!

[@you-ry2bh]

Accepting your yourself in front of others ... Do calm our stutter..too it boost confidence and fluency... I tried it and it worked..tho i have mild stammering problem... ❤️❤️

[@user-iu7bn3lz2g]

i believe that the reason that you didn't stutter while talking about stutter is because you are fully focused and interested in the topic that you are talking about which is stutter, on the other hand when you talk normally you are afraid of stutter, you are thinking and talking at the same time as if you are expecting youself to stutter and you actually stutter because you are more focused of what being said in you head than actual speaking. or you can say stutterers tend to have their focus 70% to their inner voice talking more than outer voice. so, talk fluently as if you were talking about stuttering

[@xBeccax1593]

Blocking is My worst thing lately! I totally understand where it's coming from

[@user-zs5of5en5o]

It's a weird thing I must admit. Stuttering is a strange thing. It's an impediment that society, at least subconsciously laugh about. If someone walks in a room with crutches and one leg, no one will laugh and say "ha ha he has one leg". But the first initial reaction to a stutterer is laughter. I also noticed that stuttering will take as much as you will let it take. I remember when it took most of my life, or should I say gave it most of my life. My stuttering dictated everything that I did. There isn't a cure, but thank God that it can be managed if you apply yourself. Just a thought.

[@1permil.comremovestutteron427]

+KAL EL Stuttering is probably the last remaining impediment that is acceptable to laugh about it. The problem is that most of the people don't understand how bad it is, how much it affects the life. People are not bad in general, they don't laugh to blind people because they understand. In case of stutter, they hear repeating of words or syllables, but don't understand that stuttering could destroy entire life. In that way speeches like this are very helpful.

[@julescalisthenics74]

Very interesting take on things, and quite nicely articulated. Cheers :)

[@user-zs5of5en5o]

Julian Nazim thx just sharing from experience.

[@Marquishimo]

KAL EL yeah I am in HS and stutter like a MF and people laugh so hard, they literally thank me for stuttering cuz it makes them laugh

[@avilesnba]

i cried a little bit through this...the pain, the anger, the frustration...yeah i remember it and still go through internal battles every single day. This is the beginning though...where i accept it and little by little overcome it...

[@calisthenicsandfruit7467]

search youtube for anna deeter mate

[@calisthenicsandfruit7467]

Eddie Wu what are you on about?

[@DestineChinae]

Go you!!! We'll overcome it together!

[@stuartagaba5760]

i remember kicking the table or beating myself in order to pronounce just a word and the class plus the teacher would go up in a loud roar of laughter

[@rasengan9743]

@@stuartagaba5760 I know ,they even start mimicking after the class ,worst feeling ever

[@stephenlegg262]

It's easy to say what you said but it still holds us stammers back when applying for jobs etc. People who don't stutter don't understand what we go through.

[@snoozinghipo]

Tell about it! And combine it with a foreign language interview over the phone!!....living that situation now.

[@Makeupandfashion-l2q]

snoozinghipo Same ! I wanna get a job so bad but i always get refused because of my stuttering they think i'm too nervous or lying about the informations.

[@shivamvidhate3618]

Yes I feel it. Its not so easy. Yes embracing it is the best option but, I believe I can stop my stuttering one day. I will believe myself.

[@Catalyst_08]

True but you gotta rise up to this challange we face every day and do what we can with it

[@jameshill8493]

stephen legg I have worked customer service since I was 16 and I have a stutter, are you sure it was because of your stutter

[@bogdankorolevych2900]

I feel all ur pain and frustrations my mates,no one beside us who have to live with this curse can understand the way it is.

[@alibensami132]

+Bogdan Korolevych True. It sucks that people aren't educated about stuttering! They assume we are stupid, nervous or something else, when in reality we just can't get the words out and it's not our fault!

[@azssh9480]

+Bogdan Korolevych Hi, this course is incredible. It will help you to overcome stuttering if and only if you are ready to work hard

[@amelday1997]

I have a stutter and the first time people meet me they either mock me, ignore me or pull rude impatient faces at me

[@bogdankorolevych2900]

+Amel Day bro,I know exacly how it feels,look,if ppl dont accept u as u are just shit on them,they dont worth ur atention,be more confident in urself,we are same as ppl who can talk well its just that most of our frustration is inside us and inside our mind,every time u cant say something just try to start slow or replace the word,works for me sometimes,and last but not least,dont make ur stattur be ur enemy,just try to be urself and ppl who is worth ot will come to u,dont judge urself and dont put urself at a low point like u are nothing. I know it easy to say but I kinda managed to escape the wheel of frustration and depression by myself,no oke helped,no psycologyst,no logoped,no one,just my gf that showed me what I really worth and thats what saved me.I still statture,and I took it for granded that I will die with it,but it easyer to live this was,when u accept urself and who u are. All the best wishes!

[@rise4justice826]

+Ali Bensami Yeah right its not like I don't know the word I do, it's just that my brain locks up on that fucking certain word lol long live united stutterers.

[@ashleywatkins1380]

I work in retail and was approached by a guest that wanted a dresser. The word "dresser" triggered his stutter. I couldn't understand what he was asking for at first but I remained patient. I didn't tell him slow down, or try to answer for him. I can only imagine how he may have felt. After about three tries, we got it. We found exactly what he needed and I hope he had a positive experience at my store ❤️

[@usetheforceharry-gandolf823]

I always Hate it when people ask if I forgot my name😒. Who forgets their name!? For real though. Listening to other people who stutter gives me confidence when ever I volunteer to give public speeches. I do it because I know I can and I won't let my stuttering get in the way of achieving my goals☺️.

[@yengthao9207]

Megan Shill you can do it :) i know how it feel when people ask that.

[@usetheforceharry-gandolf823]

+Yeng Thao It makes me want to punch them😂. Thank you though, means a lot😊

[@yengthao9207]

Megan Shill yeah np :) makes me happy to know im not alone.

[@usetheforceharry-gandolf823]

+Yeng Thao How long have you stuttered?

[@yengthao9207]

Megan Shill started when i was like 5 grade im in 10 atm but happy as ever :). Not gonna let stutter kill my happiness.

[@idgafos97]

This made me tear up a little.. I'm very ashamed of my stutter and I always feel uncomfortable when I have to talk to people, so I rather avoid going out and communicating with others because it just makes me feel even more depressed. It doesn't help the fact that I already hate myself.. I'm afraid I'm going to be like this forever, but I just can't make myself open up and embrace my stutter because I am so used to hiding it from everyone..

[@brandonramirez5635]

i feel your pain, do u have a Facebook or instagram?

[@thetrialshot]

+Brandon Ramirez what's your name on FB?

[@shekar9281]

I'm 25 Master's inVLSI design engineer, I shutter, used to a lot in my school days and in colleges. This video reflects me when I was taking seminars, Presentations and workshops. I used to under a lot of stress and pressure while in stage. but I never taken an excuse for my shutter. In order to reduce stress and anxiety I used to to breathing exercise and some Ayurveda medicine which helped me a lot overcome shuttering and finally I able to talk in stages on which 500 people were gathered. Those who shuter my advice do yoga, pranayama along with Ayurveda medicine. This will keep you away from shuttering problem.

[@GDInspirations]

How are you now? I'm just curious....

[@prajo9578]

Samar shekar I do pranayama yoga daily but still stutter a lot..as stuttering is so complex neuro-psycho-physiological there is no 100% cure but yes we can overcome....just like this man.... :)

[@robertlewis5845]

I'm 67 and I have to give this guy a lot of credit to get up and speak. It's always been my biggest fear. I've gone through life always being on guard for the situations you try to avoid at all costs. Only if you lived it would you understand it.

[@jamesthompson5031]

I am a stutter and have been all my life. It is hard and nobody understands what you go threw in life. Much respect to all stutters

[@JanetFrancis-fe8jz]

Yes we are passing through a lot in life 😢

[@anthonymcdonald2378]

im 22 and yes I do as well stutter. I got the nickname "stutters" back in high school and you know what, I embraced it! I had a job where I was head of maintenance where I had to make phone calls, talk on a walkie talkie all day, and everybody else who got a walkie talkie would just listen. one of my newly best friends (past couple years) if I was talking and stuttering in the radio, she had to force herself not to yell "just say it!" and one of our coworkers informed her that I infact stuttered and also stated that I was a very nice person! and soon we began talking and became roommates along with another person. I've had girls tell me it's cute! the fact is, stuttering isn't a bad thing!! it's how you deal with it. I make people laugh. once someone said "did I stutter?" and I shouted "no but I did!" and about 12 people just about dropped down laughing. and you know what, I always joke about myself and it does make it easier. it's about dealing with it,and how to make people feel comfortable around it. sometimes it's your stutter that causes a friendship!

[@shotgun1739]

+Anthony McDonald thanx for sharing, It's how we look at our stuttering, we gotta own that shit .

[@JuanVLopez]

That's so awesome, Anthony - more power to you, brother! Kudos for embracing who you are.

[@Cam15100]

I wish I could do that but most times when I try to make light of my stutter no one knows what I just said and by the time I am able to say it fluently the joke has run dry.

[@pratyashi191]

❤✌ you got it buddy. a stutterer here!

[@muthoninjoroge2737]

Exactly !

[@Big3DREAMER]

Whoever is reading this, you aren't alone. You stutter does not define you, you are much more than your circumstances.

[@dundermifflin2631]

Speaking in public as a stutterer is the hardest thing on earth. This is super inspirational. As a stutterer myself I know exactly the feeling of losing all self-confidence. But as someone once said: I don't let my stutter run me anymore, I run my stutter. I just want say well done. We get you, and we stand by you

[@hollister8313]

I stutter a lot and just hearing this I’m it gives me the same anxiety I get when I talk but much respect that he has the balls to go up and talk infront of people

[@山竹Raj]

I am also stammer .... Do you want to talk with me?

[@34luko]

I respect you mate, I too have had a stutter since childhood and it comes and goes. The key is to stay positive, be happy and to make the most of your life.

[@kayoflife8073]

I stutter like a rock star! You are not alone.

[@jazzeratheart]

As a stutterer who has finally come to embrace the ideas you highlight in this video, I just want to say thank you for speaking about this. I have come to view my stutter as something that is uniquely "me" and a part of who I am. One of the best things another stutterer told me was that stuttering is a sure way to get the best friends you can have. How? Because the people that don't want to wait for what I have to say aren't the kind of people I want in my life. The ones that are willing to wait, those are the best, most loving friends one can have. Again, thank you for this beautiful talk.

[@sugafoot777]

Ben Boblis OMG such a great comment and realization!! Amen!!

[@vinamragehlot572]

+Ben Boblis thank you for the amazing comment man.

[@NigerianBaller]

I stutter as well, it was terrible when I was younger. I hated doing any talking at all, but as I got older I embraced it and it eventually got better. I'm starting to learn what triggers it. When I want to say something too fast, I start to stammer. I have to relax myself, slow down, and think of what I'm going to say before I say it. Because when I read out loud, I don't stammer at all, so when I'm speaking, I pretend like I'm reading and my words come out more smoothly. So for anyone that stutters, don't hate it, embrace it, it's part of who you are and it always will be. It what makes you unique.

[@IMFDB]

I'm 21 and I've stuttered since I was born. At around 16 I started psychologically evaluating myself and the patterns that cause me to stutter more and less. I would say for me the bottomline trick to stop stuttering is to be spontaneous and say the first thing you think about without sugar coating or second guessing or filtering it. If you think to long about it, your minds thought process habits will automatically take the opportunity to bash on what you say because over the years you have built an anticipation of failure causing you to build a habit of a negative attitude when speaking. Speaking with a negative attitude or anticipation of failure will most definitely cause you to stutter in my case. I still stutter but far less. Having a bad day at work will cause it. Buts a challenge I want to cure someday and I'm not going to let it hinder my life.

[@nicolettistyles2346]

I am 16 .I started to stutter when I am very nervous. .........

[@JuanVLopez]

Thank you for your honesty. Stay positive and keep working through it! It's a daily struggle but we must change our minds before we hope of changing the way we speak. I've published more motivational videos posted on my Facebook page in case you're interested in continuing your acceptance journey: facebook.com/JuanVLopez1/videos_by. Best of luck to you!

[@JuanVLopez]

Perfectly normal, Nicoletti! Keep working through your own limiting beliefs and accept yourself for who you are. You may not be able to change your stutter, but you can definitely change your mind :) Stay positive and keep being great!

[@devanggaur2511]

I can relate ! I am 21 too. Emotionl Instability plays a crucial role in stuttering mann!

[@Makeupandfashion-l2q]

This is why I stutter more while speaking in a different language than my native one. Since I have to think and weight my words and put them in sentences more before speaking them I stutter more unlike when I speak spontaneously in my native language.

[@aidan.w.carolan]

Very brave man to do this. He should be very proud of himself.

[@andreleblanc4413]

As a moderate/severe stutterer, this talk really reached out to me. Can’t even count the number of times I’ve backed out of social events, phone conversations, family events because of my stutter. I’m trying to gain the confidence now to go through those situations, but it’s hard, really hard. Your talk inspired me so much man, to not care about what people think and to just embrace my stutter. Thanks a lot

[@chantelsachanna]

This really hit me. Simply because it reminds me of the exact absolute pain I suffered only up until recently when I was battling with a severe stutter myself. I was able to overcome my stammer through techniques I taught myself but I will always remember the girl I used to be and how sad I was when people would look at me like I was stupid whilst struggling to get my words out and the countless nights I'd cry myself to sleep. Sending love to everyone struggling with a speech impediment xxx

[@abolacadernos7164]

I hope Juan Lopez and all stutterers see this comment. I used to have low self-esteem because of my stutter. After 15 years of suffering, I found this book called “How to Stop Stuttering & Love Speaking” by Lee G Lovett. The book spoke to my SOUL and I immersed myself in the authors teachings and I swear to you, I defeated stuttering in 2-3 months. I wish all stutterers to buy the book and join his program (WSSA). If I defeated it, so can you!

[@samuelcallai4209]

hey, what do you mean by defeat it? Did you really stop stuttering? And is this victory still going on, or did you fall back since then?

[@Fitnessdealnews]

So much respect !! Juan you are a hero

[@johnjayluyao4768]

Been stuttering for 25 years now. It kills me so much. It makes me afraid to talk and I never opened my mouth unless it is a necessity. It makes me feel less. It makes me feel I'm not normal. It makes me feel different from normal people. I feel helpless. Oh God, Lord I will praise you and worship you for everything. No disorder nor impairment can refrain me not to be grateful everyday of my life. To those who stutter out there, change the way you see yourself.

[@blessingnnaemengozi8142]

Stop holding back brother...

[@crystallight328]

I'm 25 and stutter and it kills me. I want to learn to manage it better. My family teases me and some of my friends do too. No one understands how we feel. I gave birth to my son a week ago and I'm afraid he will be like me

[@rawana7med]

how u r now iam stuttering tooo 😣

[@pearlwalters3888]

@@rawana7med i stutter too!

[@pearlwalters3888]

how's your son now?

[@bhavishyaagogoi2925]

@@pearlwalters3888 his son is 2 years old !

[@deletoblue319]

Embracing my stutter is the worst thing that i have heard, stuttering is horrible, its hard to speak, therapy doesn't help so much i dont know how i got it but i cant get rid of it, but props to you man standing up there

[@sudhangshudas3099]

I can't give a proper presentation in my class of some 50 students, and this guy is talking on the biggest platform. It really needs courage to accept that the speech is not going to be perfect and this guy has the balls. You're an inspiration Juan.

[@morside7806]

I also stutter now and ever since that I can remember and I'm now an incoming college. Through the years I have learned different techniques on my own since my Mother and Father were already died and the family that I have now don't have enough money to get me into any therapy. I learned it on my own through voice control and a lot of adjustments. One of the biggest disadvantage of stuttering to me is it really loses my confidence. I've never have any confident to speak especially in a crowd. A lot of the moment when I have no choice but to talk confrontational, I have to rephrase my statements and change a lot of words just to make it easy to pronounce. In all these years of sometimes being bullied and underestimated, I never have a doubt that I can do this and I can survive this. Because the language of love doesn't require clear pronunciation, it only requires commitment. God Bless all the people who are suffering to the same impediment that I have. The world doesn't belong only to the fluents and clear speakers, it belongs to everyone who love and dreams. ❤️

[@rufarobere6705]

Well done bro. I stutter too. I work in construction as a Planning Manager. I have a team of 3 Planners, managing 30% of a £1.7 billion scheme. When I started in the role people i work with did not know how to deal with me and avoided any long conversations with me. My advice to anyone who is worried about stuttering is, dont worry about it. Just know that, what you have to say is as important as the next guy/girl's statement. If in a meeting and you have to speak. Dont worry about how long it will take to say something. (I've been in meeting where the whole project team HAS to listen to what I have to say... and they will listen because it is important). P.S I'm 27 years and have achieved what I have achieved by getting to that stage in my life where I dont care about what others think off me. Stay blessed and God Bless.

[@Stxrmz]

My stutter is like a shackle. It has gotten so bad i just wanted to end it all. But i thought, God has a plan for me, in fact he has a plan for everyone. No one give up as anyone has a chance to succeed. I'm 14 now. I have a developmental stutter. This means that my stutter keeps getting worse. I struggle to even say my name. I know that if i give up; i will really never know what is planned for me. I continue to try everyday and it really is helping. All i have to say is never give up, no matter what holds you down. Free yourself from the stuttering shackles and become what your truly desires. Stay Strong ✊💯

[@trainerfan1236]

It’s so lovely to see how stutterers have confidence and bravery that non stutters don’t normally understand.

[@adarsh_3007]

This man is a legend, an ideal. God bless him.

[@Dallasg59]

I've had a stutter my entire life. That just gave me so much hope and appreciation for having it and dealing with it. Your an inspiration. God bless.

[@amitavraja3385]

Probably the only stutter who speaks with a stutter on TED Talks and not say I was stutter and now look at me how fluent I speak! It rewards fluent speech and puts stutter in a negative light.

[@pakupalmer5932]

Juan you inspire me, i also have a stutter, and most people don't understand, it's great to see that there are other people out there who have the same problem

[@hamza5106]

What a courageous, brave and strong man! You have my full respect sir, what you did took more darn courage than what most people have done in their whole life

[@loughful]

I am preacher and I stutter. Always awkward when I go to new places to preach. I have braced it and enjoying my life and changing lives

[@ajay12ks2003]

Great to see person stutter giving Ted talk!! God bless you friend.I too stutter,I can feel you.

[@iwangyfan]

Great speech. I'm a stutter and I'm not. Yes because sometime I can't speak fluently. No because branding ourselves "stutters" with the word "stutter" itself is also where the problem lies.

[@delatroy]

Agreed. Part of it is snowball effect where the more you think of it the more you will stutter so I'm not sure that self branding yourself as a stutterer is a good idea.

[@iwangyfan]

+delatroy yea indeed. I feel stutter is more of going against yourself than dealing with the speaking problem itself.

[@abolacadernos]

I haven’t cried in years, but after watching this video I balled for a good five minutes. I’ve never been so touched. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@egidhesen8305]

Every stutterer has another gift, we have artistic and linguistic brains and great emotions and extraordinary hearts. My fiancée loves me despite my stutter, she is very proud of me, no less than my parents. God bless each and every one of you stuttering brothers and sisters. -Syria.

[@34luko]

I stutter too , I have had it all my life since childhood. I am now a 28 year old man, but it comes and goes now. I would just listen to you and have compassion. Some people are bullies and don't understand. You are not the only one, trust me. I love Harrison Craig for what he has achieved with a stutter he is a famous singer. My heart breaks for those that battle this, you need to stay strong, be positive and laugh. I too have battled and have had to face this but I never listen to other people and what they think, it's our life and we are here for our own journey and lives experiences. I believe sometimes having a stutter makes as different, individual and beautifully unique. People who make fun, are rotten and nasty. I too have been picked on and I think what if someone did that to you or your child.

[@tsiligmueller]

This is a great talk - thank you! I especially liked how you said at the end that everyone has their "own" stutter. I am a speech therapist at an elementary school and I am working hard to help my students who stutter to not be afraid of their stuttering. The hardest part is convincing their parents that stuttering is not a problem to be fixed - the child's anxiety about stuttering the problem to work on

[@Radaep1]

What amazing courage you have to get up there & do that, hats off to you Mister Lopez.

[@dimasab]

Amazing speech. One of my favourite video about stuttering

[@TheOriginalBugs]

Good on you! My stammer isn’t as intense I just get a crushing weight in my chest at the most random times. Now I just stop and wait for a bit. Not the most fluent conversation but I don’t care any more. It’s me and that’s who I am.

[@carlgodfrey4482]

I have stutter my all life or as long as i can remember I have been laugh at been joke at, at its start get embarrassed even to talk to a person now is much worst. but after watching this video give me a courage to be me and not to feel bad about it or make excuses, or apologize about it which I do much.

[@allenarossiohohimer3167]

I have stuttered for many years. Recently for college i had to do an oral report on a communication problem I have. In doing research i've found things out that have helped me and let me know im not alone in this. Things i thought that only I did or had problems, is something others have problems with.

[@webba0000000069]

I am in graduate school right now for education and I have had to combat this my whole life. I sounded like this guy today in front of my colleagues (not even kids) and my confidence is completely shot right now. For me it is all about confidence which this guy is trying to display here, and he is right how what we are taught about stuttering is completely wrong. Listening to this guy right now and to an extent myself today it is hard to stay motivated when you have episodes like this. I have learned to cope with this but sometimes we just have bad days I guess and guys like us are forced to ask ourselves "how we can we educate people if we can't talk"? Imagine if this guy was your everyday teacher and pretend it is not a problem. I knew I could count on TED to have something on this but honestly this guy was sort of discouraging. I wish I could help this guy, maybe instead I can dedicate my time to helping children that have to deal with this too. I can't even explain in words how difficult and frustrating it is when you just can't spit out the words.

[@amelday1997]

I agree completely

[@saber18pro88]

The worst thing is doing class presentations

[@kathy.n1852]

I agree😟

[@namuuntumenzorig6412]

Yes😞

[@bornalimithi7254]

😭

[@softxepeachy552]

Yes

[@santoshanusuru4500]

True😔

[@themusicrealm686]

So much respect for this guy !

[@Brian-uq6jm]

Juan, thank you, and you were doing great in the talk. I'm proud of you. Keep smashing them goals!

[@connorbears3239]

Props to you Juan! It takes a lot of courage to be up there doing what you did. I hope your stutter gets better and that you never ever give up.

[@xBeccax1593]

My speech therapist actually recommended your Ted talks to me, so I can accept my stutter instead of ignoring it, all of my coping ways taught in speech therapy don't help me anymore, so it can he a hard time, I still stutter now and if I take too long I just tell people now

[@marshyspudder]

I only really found this video after searching 'stuttering' on KZbin. I've always had a issue with stuttering. It's really comforting that other people stutter. I haven't met a person (minus videos) that actually stutter, I'm happy I'm not alone with it.

[@that90sjay]

In high school and into college my stutter was really bad and to this day (I am 24 now) I still stutter but it is much better than it used to be, not nearly as bad as this guys. I can feel his pain though because I specifically remember one time my freshman year of college trying to talk to this guy in my class and stuttering so bad that he literally just burst out laughing and then was like “wow calm down bro” and I literally couldn’t help it. It was one of the most embarrassing memories I can ever remember.

[@Fastm267]

We all know we can't speak in public but this guy just gave me the courage to speak out in public what I learned is speak slower take deep breaths and sound out the words but I am proud of who I am luv u man>300

[@mansoorahmad4441]

I have been through some rough times and now i am a lot better and have found some techniques which has helped me alot

[@vajtektop6971]

I am stuttering my whole life, at young age i couldnt do anythinf bymyself that included talking. When school started ,reading became a huge problem,to this day i still cannot read fluently. Presentations were the worst i always cried because i knew that i practiced all night but still couldnt say a word, i was so mad atmyself. My family and friends make fun of me because im 18 but still hasnt gotten in a relationship. Its just hard u know to keep a conversation going without stuttering. Juan ur amazing, you inspired me.

[@MrSaiyan333]

I think the purpose of stuttering is to teach you to express yourself freely, stand up for yourself and have self-esteem and also to teach you to show your emotions to other people without repressing them. Being a "happy stutterer" and "accepting your disability" is only a milestone in your journey not the real goal.

[@boland1]

What a cool and brave guy this is. Such an inspiration. I haven't managed to overcome stuttering during my 28 years, and sometimes it feels like its just getting worse. Salut to you Mr Lopez

[@muveffeq3290]

Guys, simple therapy is following. Implemented and I am 99% successfull. 1. Be confident 2. Respect yourself. Never consider yourself even a little bit lower than others. 3. Living as you want is better than considering the ''opinion of others'' 4. READ ALOUDi like actors prepare for repetition 5. Sing a songs. Believe me, you will be totally cured, only sometimes you will had to speak just at lower pace to sound what you meant.

[@Cam15100]

Your video is an inspiration to me. I never thought I had a bright future and still struggle with what the future holds for me because of my stutter. mine is much yours and seeing you talk to such a large audience has made me see myself being able to do the same thing. I actually work at a Sonic drive-in and though most people just smile or ask to speak to someone else when they hear me talk the few who actually want to talk to me make my day. There have been people who tell me to pursue my dreams and have even told me they have experienced a speech impediment when they were a child. Thank you so much for giving this inspiring speech. You have helped me so much in the way I view myself in just those 10 minutes I watched you here in KZbin.

[@nideeshakariyawasam1798]

Every stutterers life in a nutshell. Ive watched a whole lot of videos on stuttering, the majority was "from stutterer to fluent speaker" but total fluency isn't something that the bulk stutters can achieve. These things make us look at our stutter as an enemy, as something holding us back. But the truth is the only thing holding you back is you. Hats off to this. By far the best inspiration for me.

[@zixinwang3573]

as a person who struggled for stutter about nearly 20 years , I'm very appreciate this guy for he has such strong courage to face his stutter . I used to stuttering even worse than him , but thanks God , I'm better than before , even sometimes people can't feel I'm suffer stutter now . wish God can be with you and help you to overcome it

[@Neets812]

Thank you for doing this. This takes a lot of confidence and you presented your ideas in a great way. I stutter during my interviews and this helps calm me down that I’m not the only one

[@thedarkfrost2351]

I can feel my stutter acting up listening to him stutter

[@finnburns3392]

This really helped me with my own stutter, and I too experience many of the hardships Juan is put through every day. Stuttering I admit has devoured me and deprived me of my own personality, I now lack confidence. It's hard breaking through the confidence barrier, not many kids at school know I stutter and even some of my closest friends I think have forgot. Thanks Juan for talking, this is really inspiring and empowering to me.

[@itpromd1260]

Completely mind-blown. "Nothing has changed, and yet everything has changed".

[@muhammettok5572]

Guys, I was a stutterer too. But it is now over. Without any details I just say look up for Hausdörfer... the guy has explained everything about stuttering. He was the worst stutterer by his self. If you take the cause away, stuttering will dissappear in no time. Good luck in doing your research

[@Bishalbaruah7889]

Only a stutterer can understand his or her problem, others can only laugh or console. I was also a big stutterer till 2017 and i started to practise.And now i am completely stuttering free and joined as a teacher.

[@patrickkristensen1248]

I dont even stutter half as much but i really feel his pain and i am truly impressed that he has the courage to speak up about it i cant even talk to my friends or family about it

[@harishks99]

What an honest and wonderful communicator, I can relate myself too this so easily.

[@anjakovac887]

Bravo Juan! You are real inspiration.

[@jasoncampbell9498]

Thank you so much for sharing. I stutter too and a couple years back I started to discover some of the same things. I had low self worth and didn't have much ambition. I went through the 12 steps and some other stuff and I'm in a much better place. And this makes me want to go further and build more confidence. Thanks!

[@DavidLopez-nv3kn]

God I burst into tears watching this video.. so inspirational. Stuttering is who I am and embrace it with those around me. A change in perspective changes everthing in your life.

[@melinahernandez5585]

Proud of him!!!!👏👏👏👏

[@salhimehdi515]

I know his feeling, because I stutter ever since I remember. And, I find out that just by trying to speak slower than you used to, can reduce up to 70% of possibilities to stutter. I noticed that most of people who stutter are speaking faster than normal people sometimes when they are not stuttering(including Juan V Lopez) .Speaking slowly helps me a lot especially in phone calls and when I'm generally stressed. I hope you guys try this, and tell me if you notice any change.

[@joey22306]

Thank you for your recommendation. I will try this idea with my son.

[@anjar1969]

Respect to this man, i would never have the balls to do this. I cant even order my food because of my stutter

[@pog7547]

Feels good reading all these comments about other people that stutter and actually understand what you're going through

[@shekar9281]

I'm 25 Master's inVLSI design engineer, I shutter, used to a lot in my school days and in colleges. This video reflects me when I was taking seminars, Presentations and workshops. I used to under a lot of stress and pressure while in stage. but I never taken an excuse for my shutter. In order to reduce stress and anxiety I used to to breathing exercise and some Ayurveda medicine which helped me a lot overcome shuttering and finally I able to talk in stages on which 500 people were gathered. Those who shuter my advice do yoga, pranayama along with Ayurveda medicine. This will keep you away from shuttering problem.

[@mirankarim8493]

Samar shekar what is ayurveda???

[@dopeman8028]

im 24 and got to be stutter a year ago. In my case, that's not stuttering since you were born, it's because of SAD (social anxiety disorder) that makes you feel anxious in speaking in public. I hate my stuttering life because in every single conversation I really care stuttering and it's so tiring. when I stutter, im so embarrassed that I sweat around my body. Like my country, Japan, stutter seems not acceptable in the world. That may show you lack the confidence. Anyway this talk was really inspiring and hope more and more get to know this thing.

[@johncenasdad5806]

I stutter and I also cant say "R" it always sounds like "w" i hate speaking to people because of it and I'm scared of what people will think of me but this man has made me feel different, it doesn't matter if you stutter you just have to embrace it and there will always be people to judge you on anything and you just have to ignore them and carry on with your life. This man is a true inspiration

[@kaushikkar4715]

I can understand this pain as I too have this disorder....but I wish him luck....stay strong brother 🔥

[@serafinapekila3631]

People would laugh everytime I would stammer, and to hide the embarrassment I felt, i would laugh along with them and pretend like it didn't hurt. But I eventually realized that I shouldn't have to do that, and so now whenever someone laughs, I keep a straight face and continue talking. I hope this encourages someone else out there who used to be in my situation to do the same. When u show people that it's not something to mock, they end up being the embarrassed one and rightfully so. I found that I end up educating people more when i don't laugh along with them, because then others around, realise that its not right to laugh. If u continue laughing, others may think that its acceptable to laugh.

[@TheSoulExplorer]

I stutter, although not in the way as Juan and I heard far worst cases than me. But I understand the pain. I get blocked from time to time, a repetition every now and then. It's annoying, frustrating and hard to deal with, it doesn't matter the "stutter meter" you have. But, in contrary to the most common stutterer, I actually get more fluent under pressure. Bigger the need of talking, most fluency. It's weird I know, but hey, it's better than nothing. Like I said, a lot more people have a bigger problem than me. I also had the luck of surrounding myself, throughout the vast majority of my life, with people that understood the problem and never picked on me because of it. Of course, I've had the occasional asshole making the thoughtful remark that I stutter. "Yes, indeed. But before going into that, let me introduce myself: last name Sherlock, first name No Shit". But this was very far in between, I can count them with my fingers. To all fellow stutterers watching this video and readind my comment, my best wishes and positive attitude. We may not be the best communicators out there, and that's our vantage point: the stutter gives us time to think about what to say, and when we say something, it's something worth of listening to. We don't speak out of our asses just for the hell of it, like the so called "fluent speakers". They may speak faster, but the vocabulary is often very poor.

[@Chooify]

I see that you have good writing ability. I noticed that most stutters can not articulate how they want to say something but can write it down in an advanced superior English text.

[@TheSoulExplorer]

Sorry for the late response. Really, it was that good? English is not my primary language, I've never had advanced English classes and I never spoke with a native English speaker. Everything I know was pretty much self taught by watching movies, listening to music or playing videogames. I thought that my English was average at the best, at least I try as hard as I can to sound good enough. Thanks for the complement.

[@sk4teboardd]

TheSoulExplorer I really identify with your story. Thank you sharing. Its comforting to have someone to relate to when especially when most times as a stutterer I feel like I'm in a one man battle. I've learned not to be at war with myself but rather be a peace. I commend individuals that stutter like you and Carlos who stand up and stand strong.

[@TheSoulExplorer]

sk4teboardd​ For me at least, speaking about the issue is the best therapy. The point is not allowing the stuttering get in the way. Like I said in my first comment, my stutter is not anywhere near as severe like Juan or other people. I'm fluent most of times, with occasional stutter every now and then. But it's still pretty annoying most times, no doubt. My recommendation is the same as yours: stay strong, positive and never, ever, let this small disadvantage get in your way. Best wishes.

[@007avatarofvishnu]

TheSoulExplorer >I actually get more fluent under pressure First time while public speaking. My heart was in my mouth. Went to the stage. Spoke so fluenty like I never did before.

[@joeblow1252]

I think that a light stutter is among the hottest thing ever. Not the stutter in itself, but the combination of vulnerability and courage is extremely attractive. I don't mean to trivialize or make something you may suffer from into something else, I just want to say that other people may not see what you think. Unless for kids (who are assholes regardless) I have never met one person who have expressed anything but admiration for a person with a stutter who dares speak freely. You don't need to conquer your stutter but your fear to speak. This guy is absolutely right.

[@cherl_wlkr]

I cried watching this! 😭😭😭 As a Cabin Crew i have to talk to alot of people and sometimes we need to do announcements and it wasn’t easy. Sometimes after doing an annoucement, i’d locked myself up in the toilet and just cry for a good 10-15minutes, then ill go out and talk to my colleagues as if nothing happened. I thought as time goes by, my stuttering will leave but nope it’s still here. I really hope to have the same courage as you one day Juan. ❣️🙏🏻❣️🙏🏻

[@wuutnopepe613]

My stutter made me compassionate. I'm a great listener for obvious reasons